New to forum with a couple Cub ???

Thu Aug 11, 2011 12:37 am

Hi guys! Been lurking for awhile and finally decided to join. Looks like a great site! I've had really good luck with all my old Cub Cadets, but I think my IH982 is finally ready for a steering box rebuild.Eventually, I plan to purty her all up, but right now I'm attending to the mechanicals...... I see alot of guys doing the easy-steer upgrade on the GTs, but has anyone tried it on a SGT box? My 982 is a '79 IH built with the 3 turn box, but not the same as the rest of the Cub GTs. Any suggestions before I venture into my own upgrade......Thanks, Mike

Re: New to forum with a couple Cub ???

Thu Aug 11, 2011 6:16 am

Welcome to the forum.

Re: New to forum with a couple Cub ???

Thu Aug 11, 2011 4:18 pm

I wouldn't install the super steer set up if it was me. It may or may not make your cub have a smaller turn radius. Your 982 is longer than normal Cub Cadet which will increase the turning radius. Another consideration to a tight turning is to install a set of rib front tires that look like the ones farm tractors have. Another option to consider is adding power steering to your 982. I'm not sure which Cub(s) are good doners for power steering.

Re: New to forum with a couple Cub ???

Thu Aug 11, 2011 4:18 pm

Welcome!!

You won't believe how much of that tractor you will need to disassemble to get the steering column and gear box out of it. If I were you, I would just rebuild and leave as-is. First though, I would make certain that all the tie rod and drag link ends are tight, and that there is no play or wobble in the spindles or where the front axle pins to the tractor frame. Those are the typical wear points, and typically account for all of the play in the steering system that most folks think is the gear box going out.

I know a few guys who have added the power steering setup from a SGT to a 982, but I would not ever go through that trouble. The larger steering wheel on the 982 makes up for not having power steering. Plus, the power steering setup in the SGTs has always been a weak point in my opinion. They always whine, they tend not to work well at low engine RPMs, and you can feel the steering pressure change when you raise/lower the mower deck. It's all just trouble to me. The old style steering is much more fool proof.

Good luck,And by the way, we LOVE to see pictures!

Thanks,Bill

Re: New to forum with a couple Cub ???

Fri Aug 12, 2011 3:11 am

Hi guys, and thanks for the replies....Merk, I looked at the super-steer setup for one of my regular Cubs, but won't work with my 982. I didn't think it would gain me much since I mow alot of wide open country yard. That, and I already run tri-rib 4:00x12's on the front that are fairly tight at full lock, anyway. Probably good to have in a tighter smaller yard, though.

For my 982 I was thinking more along the line of just doing a full on box rebuild with a new cam follower and going with the thrust bearing upgrade on the sector shaft. Alot of guys are getting good results on the GTs with this improvement.Problem is.....all the regular GTs have a 5/8" sector and mount differently. the 982's have a 3/4" sector and a separate mounting plate. Just wondered if anyone has been there, done that with a 982 box. I think I can get a .75 x 1.65 x .5 shielded thrust bearing through my local bearing supplier, but without tearing the tractor down to get the column out, I'm not sure if I can work around the mounting plate. Looks do-able...maybe. I've got a full set of heim ends ordered for the steering linkage, a new center bolt for the axle, an assortment of shims, and going to look at that bearing in the morning. Most of the obvious slop is in the center steering arm that mounts off the back of the axle. NLA and probably have to be reamed and bushed at a shop. Guess I'll tear into it and see what I can figure out!I'll get some pics and keep ya posted...............

Mike

Re: New to forum with a couple Cub ???

Sat Aug 13, 2011 12:07 pm

Well, got the column out yesterday.......disassembled, cleaned, inspected. Bearings, cups, retainers all looked fine. The cam follower was as I suspected.....pretty rough as I've tuned it up twice in the last 14 years. Time for a new one!Everything went pretty much just as Merk showed in his link. (Very nice 70 resto, by the way!) I did spend considerable time taking the "factory warp" out of the sector arm. They all see to have this factory flaw, for some reason. Mine's now straight! I did all my adjustments on the bench and set my column bearings with a reasonable amount of preload. Enough that there's a fair amount of resistance when you try to roll the shaft between your fingers. One thing I recommend while you have your column on the bench.....rotate it through the complete travel and locate the dead-on centered position. Mark it as a quick reference point somewhere on the arm and box. Helps when trying to achieve an equal turning radius left and right.

Now for the bearing upgrade. I found a shielded ball thrust bearing through Motion Industries under part # 4459-00.Listed for $4.56 + tax. It crossed to a NICE/RBC bearing part # 607V, and measures .75 x 1.65 x .5.This is pretty much identical to the 600 series NICE bearings (#605V) everyone is using on the standard Cubs with 5/8" sector shafts. This one is 3/4" ID and works well on the bigger Ross box found on the 982s. It's a tight fit at the raised mounting bosses on the box, but 2 18ga. steel machine washers between the box and bearing should provide enough clearance. (Mine had about 1/16th of an inch.) I topped that off with another steel machine washer and a 3/4" NyLok jam nut from Fastenal, part # 1137141. Make sure it's fine thread.

So far, so good! Turned out to be a very smooth operating box. The one difficulty I ran into was with the mounting bracket. There's a factory hole punched in the bracket for the original jam nuts to clear. It's supposed to be 1 1/2", but gets distorted when the factory bends are made. The thrust bearing needs 1.65" plus some clearance. ( 3/32" over lets it clear) I simply took my die grinder with a rotary file bit and enlarged the hole in the bracket to clear the bearing. You have to watch though, two of the 3/8" mounting holes are really close to the larger hole. Grind only enough to clear the bearing. Some of you might feel a little uneasy grinding away on a NLA part, but if you go slow and take your time it will hardly be noticed. However, due to the very tight clearances with this bearing, you can't use a standard headed 3/8" bolt in the two mounting holes closest to the bearing. I used 3/8" x 1" header bolts with a 7/16" hex head. They will clear the bearing.Here's a couple pics............(hopefully!)

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Re: New to forum with a couple Cub ???

Sat Aug 13, 2011 12:12 pm

Here's another shot.....

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Re: New to forum with a couple Cub ???

Sat Aug 13, 2011 12:14 pm

The clearanced bracket......

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Re: New to forum with a couple Cub ???

Sat Aug 13, 2011 12:20 pm

Here, you can see just how close everything gets.It's tight, but everything DOES clear. I really don't think clearancing the bracket will weaken it any...Cubs iz built tuff!

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Re: New to forum with a couple Cub ???

Sat Aug 13, 2011 12:26 pm

Here's a shot of the bearing.........Motion Industries part # 4459-00 (crosses to NICE/RBC # 607V)I know, I know....Made in China! But, I believe NICE may be also. Who would have guessed??

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Re: New to forum with a couple Cub ???

Sat Aug 13, 2011 12:36 pm

As soon as I get these rod ends installed and set the allignment I'll let y'all know how it drives.BTW, I shimmed the center steer arm and went with a new axle center bolt and one 18 ga. shim washer in the front axle pivot. Tight as new now! This winter I think i'll get the axle pivot and the center steer arm bushed and install new spindle bushings as well. Just want to do it right.Any suggestions on setting the toe-in? 1/4" sound about right?

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Re: New to forum with a couple Cub ???

Sat Aug 13, 2011 6:00 pm

WOW! WOW............Man, I've got to say......this tractor has NEVER steered this nice since I've owned it!!!Played with it for about a 1/2 hour. Just couldn't stop! Moving, I can steer it lock to lock with my palm! AND, that's with a 1" smaller diameter steering wheel than the original Lo Boy wheel!!I'd recommend this mod to anyone with a 982. Better than power steering!Even the grandaughter can turn it lock to lock sitting still....and she's 4 years old!!! I was so tickled, I broke down and gave it a good bath just because....

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